Danica Zicha swarmed a Reading Memorial High School defender with everything she had, jarred the ball away, and passed it through the goalie’s legs with a tricky shot. The Belmont High School senior striker then corralled a pass in stride, putting a touch into the back of the net for her second tally of the evening.
Call it vintage —or better yet, renewed—Zicha. After nearly two seasons lost due to an ACL tear suffered during Soccer Night in Belmont her sophomore year, she put on a show in this year’s edition with a pair of goals. With 15 goals through Belmont’s first nine games, her success goes beyond that single night.
“I had been thinking about this moment, because obviously, sophomore year, it sucked,” said Zicha, who potted three goals as a freshman in her first Soccer Night. “Freshman year was great. Sophomore year sucked. Junior year was all right. This year was great again; it’s like a full circle.”
Zicha started her final campaign on a scoring bender, making up for lost time, including a stretch of three hat tricks in four games and five total assists. Her early-season play lifted Belmont (7-2) to the sixth slot in the first edition of the MIAA Division I Power Rankings published Sept. 26. The top 32 teams qualify for postseason play, while teams ranked 33 and below with a .500 or better record make a play-in round.
“Mentally, she’s back to her strongest,” said coach Jemmy Cange. “I don’t think she’s worried. The confidence that she has, that’s what separates her from other players.”
The speedy Zicha burst onto the scene as a freshman, amassing a team-best five goals and 15 assists. Her scoring knack continued with six goals and five assists through her first four-plus games of her sophomore season. The ACL tear came in the fifth game of that fall, during the annual Soccer Night in Belmont. She played two more games on it before doctors determined the severity of the injury.
Zicha underwent surgery shortly after, missing the rest of that season and most of last fall while recovering. While Zicha scored two goals and dished out two assists in five games, she played under time restrictions.
Being cleared to play within the doctor’s anticipated 9- to 12-month timeline was progress, but Zicha struggled.
“Even in the film, I could tell I had a block mentally,” Zicha said. “Physically, it wasn’t my best season at all.”
She shed her brace and time limits during club play this past spring, teeing up a strong start to her senior fall. Overall, the recovery took nearly 18 months, with the mental side emerging long after the physical.
Zicha also switched her cleat bottoms from blade to circular studs, hoping to avoid any chance of “getting stuck” while planting and also as part of her overall fresh start. Though Zicha doesn’t think about the injury during games very often anymore, she remains diligent in her exercises.
Teams defend against Zicha, who has committed to play at Connecticut College, relentlessly. They send double- and triple-teams on her every touch, and some opponents tell their defender to stick to her like glue no matter what else might be happening on the field.
Zicha, who stands not much above five feet, still finds ways to score.
“Her touches on the ball are perfect most of the time,” said sophomore Cassie Greiner, who often feeds Zicha for goals. “If you put it far in front of her, she always gets there. You can count on her getting by her defender.”
If Zicha doesn’t score, she finds other ways to impact the game. The defensive attention came at the end of her freshman year and before the injury in her sophomore campaign. It’s nothing new.
Greiner described Zicha as “a light.” She’s incredibly supportive, motivating, and always has a joke. They play together like longtime teammates, with an unspoken understanding of each other’s game.
“Automatic chemistry,” Greiner said. “I’ll just know where she is when I don’t even see her.”
With plenty of season left, Zicha looks like a sure bet to pass the 20-goal mark she hopes to set while leading the team to a postseason run.
